What if you could get HIV test results in 20 minutes?

[NB: The text of this article has been updated since this newsletter was first published.]

New 20-minute HIV test kits are now being tested in Canada. These kits involve testing a drop of blood for the presence of HIV antibodies. The results become available while you wait (about 20 minutes).

We have been invited to take part in testing these kits for their accuracy. The kits are considered to be over 90% accurate, but they are still being tested to verify exactly how accurate they are. For the duration of the trial period, testing with the 20-minute kits will still be accompanied by a standard HIV blood test.

Now that the 20-minute tests become available on a trial basis, they are available to Vanguard participants by request through Vanguard nurse Mary Lou Miller, although this clinical trail is not officially affiliated with the Vanguard Project.

An informal survey about the introduction of 20-minute HIV test kits was e-mailed to 159 Vanguard participants on December 1, 1997. A total of 66 participants responded.

RESULTS of the SURVEY

1) In general, do you think that the introduction of 20-minute HIV tests is a good idea?

YES:	82% (54)
NO:	8% (5)
UNSURE:	11% (7)

2) If 20-minute testing were available on a trial basis (i.e. to test the accuracy of the kits), would you want to make use of them BEFORE the kits have been fully tested for accuracy?

YES:	67% (44)
NO:	21% (14)
UNSURE:	12% (8)

(NB: this is not a scientific survey, as the participants polled are not representative of the entire cohort.)

Summary of comments from participants:

Most of the participants who responded were very supportive of the idea of getting faster test results. They felt it would encourage more people to get tested, and would alleviate the anxiety of the two-week waiting period. At least one participant saw the two-week waiting period as a useful ordeal, however, as it forces people to confront their own mortality.

Many expressed concerns about the accuracy of the new test kits, and warned of the dangers of people getting inaccurate test results. Some were reluctant to make use of the kits until they had been fully tested for accuracy, but the majority were willing to help test the kits. Several people advised that until the new kits are fully tested for accuracy, patients should NOT be given the results of the 20-minute test until the results of the standard blood test were available.

Many were also concerned that the introduction of 20-minute test kits could lead to home testing. While a few people liked the idea of home testing, the majority were very opposed to it, warning of the dangers of people testing positive at home without any counselling or support. At least one participant also pointed out that home testing would distort HIV prevalence and incidence statistics.

Some people drew attention to the wider societal implications of the introduction of faster test kits. If they are ever available for retail sale, will people start to rely on them to screen their sexual partners, despite the fact that the three-to-six month window period would still apply? Will instant HIV test kits someday be used at borders between countries or even in job interviews to screen out people with HIV?

The full text of everyone's comments is available by request.